looking for/at an FE and have some questions

I have had my FE for over a year and it is in use almost daily. Never have any problems with this unit. It is very well built. I do not have to rotate the meat. I can cook four butts per shelf, two packer briskets per, or forty racks of ribs, (with the optional rib racks). The food has a great taste, and always comes out moist and juicy. Just flip the switch and your smoking.

Welcome Christian.

There will be some good answers coming.

My thought. Yup, it's well built enough to handle trailering. Here's a photo of a trailer with two FEC'100's (if you can't see it well enough). The quality of the unit and ability to move it won't be an issue.



Another option from Walt:


Now to moving from a JED.

How much of what product will you be using?

Yes the 2000 may be too much. I believe there will be a new 1000 available in the spring, but no details yet.

One thing you didn't ask, but I'm sure you will, is the quality of the product. Let me say, and I don't work for CS, I really only do the forum for fun, is that you'll be happy with it. Ease of use -- great, the pellets are the way to go, especially with wood prices. FE's are winning a lot of contest and there's obviously a good reason.

Ask away, we're here to help.

Russ

The one thing I was NOT worried about was the quality, I know that si there, I have seen enough of them at comps that the deisgn and engineering is there.

The thing I love about my Jed is that it takes no more fuel to cook a couple of racks of ribs for fotbal game, or cook enough for a 100 person 4th of july party, or cook for a peoples choice event.

I am used to having 6 racks 5 foot long, but the thing I love the best about the rotisserie is that I can put in up to 6 of each type of the big ones (butts and briskets) and it does not matter if the are fat up or down, they self baste since they are in the smae position oon each rack, and that I think has really helped me in my taste and tenderness judging, since i do not have to open the cooker but about every 4 hours.

I really like the results I am seeing from the teams suign the pellet cookers (Pellet envy, is one I see at every comp I have competed around here) and I like the consistency they are getting. Now do not get me wrong I love my Jed, but aside from the romance and alure of the stick burners, I really see the pellets as the way of the future, I will ahve a small stick for crisping chicken and finishing ribs, but for the low and slows, it almost seems to easy with the pellet units, and I am getting to old to stay up all night watching my maverick and hoping the temps does not vary.

I saw this the worst in McPherson thsi year with the gale force winds that let down after dark, and really jacked with my airflow in the box.

THANKS FOZR EVERYONE HELP

Now do these units ever come up in the secondaty market???

Or is new the way to go

Thanks again

Christian

And let us not forget the customer service that comes with the fe. I've had my fe100 for almost a year now, run a tone of pellets through it, and the only trouble I've had is a burned up door gasket due to too many chicken thighs not properly prepped on my part and the igniter. Both problems were handled with exceptional service. Once you have cooked on the fe, you will know what all the talk is about.
Joe

Christian,

You should have looked at the back of my trailer in McPherson. I have two FE-100's mounted back there. They've ridden there for three years.

As you know, the wind did not effect our cooking in McPherson.

I've seen a few of the older FE's for sale now and again, up I've yet to see a FEC for sale used yet.

Rod
Pellet Envy

quote:

Originally posted by North Pole Joe:
[qb] And let us not forget the customer service that comes with the fe. I've had my fe100 for almost a year now, run a tone of pellets through it, and the only trouble I've had is a burned up door gasket due to too many chicken thighs not properly prepped on my part and the igniter. Both problems were handled with exceptional service. Once you have cooked on the fe, you will know what all the talk is about.
Joe [/qb]

Joe,

Could you further explain the chicken thigh comment please.

John

Sure,
I smoked up 13 butts and didn't clean the unit out prior to cooking up 3 racks of thighs using Ocala Bills recipe and I didn't clean the thighs off prior to putting them in the smoker. The combination of grease, oily chicken, and high heat caught fire. I believe something similar has happened to Duck. I should have learned from his post. I know that the same thing can happen in any smoker or grill though.

Russ,
I am looking at getting an FE, is the 1000 going to be somewhere between the 100 and 2000 in size.

Bryan

Yes. There's not a lot of details as CS is finalizing the design otherwise they would have specific details.

We'll just have to wait.

Along with the sauces and rubs, the FE-1000 comes with a 32 oz. bottle of Miracle Whip. Lane

P.S. I'm sorry. I wasn't like this before the FE-100 class.

Thanks for posting that Joe. I thought it was something like that but wanted to ask.

John

Joe,
I'm glad this has happened to someone other than me. I set Jack's Brinkman on fire this weekend. It did make for some good crispy chicken, but hope I don't do that again, certainly not in the FE! All we had cooked on it was a pork butt before I put the chicken in, but it had enough grease in the water pan to essentially fry the chicken.
I think I'll be sure to check the fat in the FE before I crank up the temp!
Peggy

Yeah, clean up sucks as it is........even worse after that!
Joe

Smokin,
Who is the man in the picture you show of the FE?
Peggy

If you see that man in that photo please tear that shirt off of him and burn it imediately. That is bad mojo to be around.

OK Now the 1000 dollar question, I am fond of the rotisserie design, as it is what I am used to, and I like the fact that the meat self bastes and the flavors do not meld as much, although htere is no bad thing about prok fat.

Is there anyone who has a pic, semi-solid info, or perhaps a price for the 1000, I would imagine it will be in the 8-10k range, and for that, why not buy 2 100s?

I ma torn and am looking for guidance.

I wish I could just buy a pellet for my jed, and have the best of both worlds, use the well built rotisserie I allready own, but also be bale to sleep through the night

Tanks again

Christian

quote:

Originally posted by Fast Eddy:
[qb] If you see that man in that photo please tear that shirt off of him and burn it imediately. That is bad mojo to be around. [/qb]

This from the man who in those same contests wore his "magic" chili pants...

Hmm, looks like sooner magic is better than chili magic.

Peggy, that's me.

Russ

After looking at the picture of the fec on the back of the suburban, I noticed it was hooked up using 2 receivers. Do any of you guys know if it can be used in only one receiver? If this would work it would be more versatile as you could use anyones vehicle as long as it has a 2" receiver.

Problem solved after talking to Ed and Tony. The problem was the fan was not turning and therefor I had no combustion. I was wondering where the unit got its combustion from and now I know. The fan was froze up. With a few spins of the hand and cycle on and off it works great. Did not take long to get to 200*.
I want to thank everyone for there help.

Eddy didn't tell you about lubricating that fan shaft with a little Miracle Whip now and then? In a pinch you can use 3 in 1 oil.

Ron...stop it. He hasn't been to class to learn the secret of the miracle whip...

Tn. Joe had asked a question about using a platform for carrying the FE behind a truck. We tested it with just one receiver and found that it was unstable. Especially when you consider the height of the cooker. We use the nylon straps to reduce stress on the fastening system that ties the cooker to the support framing.

After multiple 18-20 hour drives I can tell you that using three different fastening systems is over kill when they all work. But each long trip has produced a failure in at least one of the three we use. Something comes loose and then I'm happy about having the backups in place.

Two legs are bolted to the platform 5" above the wheels. The other side of the frame is secured to the platform with two turnbuckles. Then an additional strap is wrapped completely around the platform and top of FE100. The strap going around the FE puts tension on the pelt box. We place a piece of cardboard between the pelt box and the cook chamber before tightening.

Walt

For the record, Walt doesn't have a Suburban. He has a Ford. Pity him.

Normally I'd jump all over anyone comparing a little bitty Suburban to an Excursion, but since Tom does own two FE100 he's going to get a break here.

Walt

I too have burnt the gasket out of my FE but if you clean it & change the foil after you finish cooking this wont be an issue.
As far as comparing a jed to an FE, there is no cpmparison. The Jed will run away if the wind comes up, slow down if the humidity changes, yada,yada, yada,. I cooked on a 48" Jed for 10 years and honestly I wish i had done the pellet thing a long time ago. 15 minutes for a cleanup vs. 3+hours ...there is no comparison.